Method for determining a diagnostic condition of a vehicular video connection

ABSTRACT

A method for determining a diagnostic condition of a vehicular video connection includes providing a video driver, a video cable, a video driver power supply, a current sensor and a microcontroller. The video driver is powered via the video driver power supply. Current flowing to the video driver from the video driver power supply is sensed via the current sensor. The microcontroller determines a current level sensed by the current sensor during operation of the video driver. An open circuit condition may be determined when the determined current level of the current flowing into the video driver falls below a predetermined quantity, and/or a short to battery condition may be determined when the determined current level of the current flowing into the video driver exceeds a predetermined quantity.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/800,697, filed Mar. 13, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,182,228,which claims the filing benefit of U.S. provisional application, Ser.No. 61/649,216, filed May 18, 2012, and Ser. No. 61/611,607, filed Mar.16, 2012, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention generally relates to the field of automotive or vehicularelectronics, and more particularly to video diagnostic techniques.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) require open-circuit,short to ground, and short to battery diagnostics be performed on alloutput drivers for electronic modules with vehicle communications bussupport. For differential mode analog video applications, it is costlyto implement these diagnostics on both the video+ and video− outputs. Inaddition, diagnostic circuits placed in line with the video wires couldimpact the integrity of the video signal.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Generally speaking, the invention senses the current flowing into thevideo output driver. This current provides valuable information fordetermining an open-circuit, a short to ground, or a short to batterycondition. The invention thus provides a simpler, more cost effective,and relatively less intrusive method for diagnosing faults in the videooutput circuit than some methods of the prior art.

According to an aspect of the invention a method is provided fordetermining a diagnostic condition of a video cable connected to adisplay module in an automotive vehicle. The method includes providing avideo signal; amplifying the video signal with a video driver fortransmission over the video cable, where the video driver is powered bya driver power supply; sensing the current flowing into the video driverthrough the video driver power supply; determining the output voltage ofthe video driver; and determining a diagnostic condition of the videocable based on the value of the current flowing into the video driverand the output voltage of the video driver.

According to another aspect of the invention a system is provided fordetermining a diagnostic condition of a video cable connected to adisplay device or module in an automotive vehicle (such as a displaydevice or video display screen that is disposed in the vehicle cabin andthat is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the driver is normallyoperating the vehicle). The system includes video processing circuitryproviding a video signal and a video driver receiving the video signaland amplifying the signal for transmission over the video cable. Thevideo driver is powered by a driver power supply. A current sensor is inconnection with the driver power supply (such as a current senseresistor disposed in series with the driver power supply). Amicrocontroller is operatively connected to the current sensor todetermine the current sensed by the current sensor. The microcontrollerreceives a short to battery input, such as may be output by the videodriver. The microcontroller is operable to determine a diagnosticcondition of the video cable based at least in part on the currentsensed by the current sensor and the status of the short to batteryinput.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle with a vision system and imagingsensors or cameras that provide video image data for communicating to animage processor and/or display device in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a diagnostic system according to anembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A driver assist system and/or vision system and/or object detectionsystem and/or alert system for a vehicle may operate to capture imagesexterior of the vehicle and process the captured image data to detectobjects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted path of the vehicle,such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuvering the vehicle ina rearward direction. The system may provide a video image signal to adisplay device that is disposed in the vehicle cabin and viewable by adriver of the vehicle, so that the driver can view video imagesrepresentative of the image data captured by the camera or cameras ofthe vehicle.

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a vehicle 10 includes an imaging system or vision system 12that includes one or more imaging sensors or cameras (such as a rearwardfacing imaging sensor or camera 14 a and/or a forwardly facing camera 14b at the front (or at the windshield) of the vehicle, and/or asidewardly/rearwardly facing camera 14 c, 14 b at the sides of thevehicle), which capture images exterior of the vehicle, with the camerashaving a lens for focusing images at or onto an imaging array or imagingplane of the camera (FIG. 1). The vision system 12 is operable toprocess image data captured by the cameras and may provide displayedimages at a display device 16 for viewing by the driver of the vehicle.Optionally, the vision system may process image data to detect objects,such as objects to the rear of the subject or equipped vehicle during areversing maneuver, or such as approaching or following vehicles orvehicles at a side lane adjacent to the subject or equipped vehicle orthe like.

FIG. 2 shows a video output diagnostic circuit 110 according to anembodiment of the invention. The circuit 110 includes conventional videoprocessing circuitry 112 which may be utilized, for example, to processand display images captured by an automotive backup camera (such ascamera 14 a in FIG. 1). The video processing circuitry 114 provide ananalog video output signal at line 114. The video output signal 114 isamplified for distribution via a differential video driver 116 and thedifferential output signal 118 is carried by a cable 119 to a displaydevice module (such as video display screen 16 in FIG. 1) of thevehicle, such as a video display device or the like, such as a displaymodule disposed at an interior cabin of the vehicle and viewable by thedriver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle.

The video driver 116 is connected to a supply voltage 120, ultimatelyprovided by the vehicle battery. A current sensor or current senseresistor 122 is disposed in series in the power supply path (between thesupply voltage and the video driver), and the two terminals of thecurrent sense resistor 122 are fed to differential inputs of a currentsense amplifier 124. The output 126 of the current sense amplifier (CSA)124 is fed to an analog to digital conversion (ADC) port 127 of acontrol or control circuit or microcontroller 128.

The microcontroller 128 may be a microcontroller dedicated fordiagnostic purposes or more preferably may be a microcontroller that isused for other purposes such as a microcontroller that forms part of thevideo control system including communication circuitry that is used tocommunicate with a main vehicle controller over a network bus orcommunication system of the vehicle, such as a controller area network(CAN) or vehicle system bus or the like.

The differential video driver 116 features a short to battery (STB)status digital output 130. This output 130, which is triggered when theoutput voltage of the differential output signal 118 exceeds the supplyvoltage, is fed to a general purpose digital input 132 of themicrocontroller 128.

An example of a commercially available differential video driver havingan STB status output that may be suitable for application of this typeis Analog Devices part no. ADA4433-1.

A fault on video cable 119 is detected by a change in current throughthe supply 120 to the output video driver 116 by the current senseresistor 122. The voltage across this resistor 122 is amplified by thecurrent sense amplifier 124 and passed to the analog to digitalconversion port 127 of the microcontroller 128, which reads the value ofthe voltage across the resistor 122 and thus the current therethrough.If the microcontroller reads a value of no current or little (less thana predetermined) current, this indicates an open circuit on the outputcable 119 or lack of signal available at the output video amplifier 116.If the microcontroller 128 reads a current value greater than apredetermined nominal value, this indicates a short or partial short toground condition. If the short to battery status output 130 istriggered, then the microcontroller 128 proceeds to a next step on thepresumption that the short is a short to battery condition. Thus, if thecurrent value is greater than the predetermined nominal value and theshort to battery status output 130 is not triggered, the microcontroller128 proceeds to a next step on the presumption that a short to groundcondition exists.

The diagnostic condition is communicated by the microcontroller 128 overthe controller area network to the vehicle controller.

The vision system of the present invention thus receives an input fromvideo processing circuitry and provides an output to a display fordisplaying images, such as video images or the like, which may becaptured by one or more cameras or imaging sensors of the vehicle, forviewing by the driver of the vehicle while the driver is normallyoperating the vehicle. The system senses the current flowing into thevideo output driver, and based on sensing of the current, the system candetermine if there is an open-circuit, a short to ground, or a short tobattery condition. The diagnostic condition determined by the system ormicrocontroller may be communicated to a vehicle controller or the like,such as via a communications network of the vehicle, such as via acontroller area network of the vehicle or the like.

Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a video displaydevice disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assembly of thevehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No.9,264,672, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. The video mirror display may comprise any suitable devicesand systems and optionally may utilize aspects of the compass displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341;7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305;5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727;5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252; and/or 6,642,851,and/or European patent application, published Oct. 11, 2000 underPublication No. EP 0 1043566, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0061008, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the video mirrordisplay screen or device may be operable to display images captured by arearward viewing camera of the vehicle during a reversing maneuver ofthe vehicle (such as responsive to the vehicle gear actuator beingplaced in a reverse gear position or the like) to assist the driver inbacking up the vehicle, and optionally may be operable to display thecompass heading or directional heading character or icon when thevehicle is not undertaking a reversing maneuver, such as when thevehicle is being driven in a forward direction along a road (such as byutilizing aspects of the display system described in PCT Application No.PCT/US2011/056295, filed Oct. 14, 2011 and published Apr. 19, 2012 asInternational Publication No. WO 2012/051500, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety).

Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and arearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle withexterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of atop-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround viewat the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systemsdescribed in PCT Application No. PCT/US10/25545, filed Feb. 26, 2010 andpublished on Sep. 2, 2010 as International Publication No. WO2010/099416, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31,2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 as International Publication No. WO2011/028686, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2011/062834, filed Dec. 1,2011 and published Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No. WO2012/075250, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/048993, filed Jul.31, 2012, and published on Feb. 7, 2013 as International Publication No.WO 2013/019795, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US11/62755, filed Dec. 1,2011 and published Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No. WO2012-075250, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/CA2012/000378, filed Apr.25, 2012, and published on Nov. 1, 2012 as International Publication No.WO 2012/145822, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov.27, 2012, and published Jun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/081985, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/068331, filed Dec. 7,2012, and published Jun. 13, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/086249, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2013/022119, filed Jan.18, 2013, and published Jul. 25, 2013 as International Publication No.WO 2013/109869, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/333,337,filed Dec. 21, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,264,672, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, a video mirror display may be disposed rearward of andbehind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925;7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/091,525, filedApr. 25, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,855,755; Ser. No. 11/226,628, filedSep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008; and/or Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Thedisplay is viewable through the reflective element when the display isactivated to display information. The display element may be any type ofdisplay element, such as a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display element, alight emitting diode (LED) display element, such as an organic lightemitting diode (OLED) or an inorganic light emitting diode, anelectroluminescent (EL) display element, a liquid crystal display (LCD)element, a video screen display element or backlit thin film transistor(TFT) display element or the like, and may be operable to displayvarious information (as discrete characters, icons or the like, or in amulti-pixel manner) to the driver of the vehicle, such as passenger sideinflatable restraint (PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/orthe like. The mirror assembly and/or display may utilize aspectsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190; 7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. The thicknesses and materials of the coatings on thesubstrates of the reflective element may be selected to provide adesired color or tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a bluecolored reflector, such as is known in the art and such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036; and/or 7,274,501, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs maybe associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example,a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or agarage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessoryor system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessorymodule or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or consoleof the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888;6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742; and 6,124,886, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, and desirably, the system of the present invention utilizesan image-based sensor or camera and image processing of image datacaptured by the camera. The system and/or camera of the vehicle includesan image processor operable to process image data captured by the cameraor cameras, such as for detecting objects or other vehicles orpedestrians or the like in the field of view of one or more of thecameras. For example, the image processor may comprise an EyeQ2 or EyeQ3image processing chip available from Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd.of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detection software (such asthe types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 7,720,580; and/or7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties), and may analyze image data to detect vehicles and/or otherobjects. Responsive to such image processing, and when an object orother vehicle is detected, the system may generate an alert to thedriver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at the displayedimage to highlight or enhance display of the detected object or vehicle,in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detected object orvehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver of the equippedvehicle.

The camera or imager or imaging sensor may comprise any suitable cameraor imager or sensor. Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smartcamera” that includes the imaging sensor array and associated circuitryand image processing circuitry and electrical connectors and the like aspart of a camera module, such as by utilizing aspects of the visionsystems described in PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov.27, 2012, and published Jun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO2013/081985, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imagingsensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ladar sensors or ultrasonicsensors or the like. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image datafor image processing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensingdevice, such as, for example, an array of a plurality of photosensorelements arranged in at least about 640 columns and 480 rows (at leastabout a 640×480 imaging array and more preferably a mega-pixel arraythat may provide high definition imaging), with a respective lensfocusing images onto respective portions of the array. The photosensorarray may comprise a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in aphotosensor array having rows and columns. The logic and control circuitof the imaging sensor may function in any known manner, and the imageprocessing and algorithmic processing may comprise any suitable meansfor processing the images and/or image data. For example, the visionsystem and/or processing and/or camera and/or circuitry may utilizeaspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,005,974; 5,760,962; 5,877,897;5,796,094; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620;6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109;6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; 7,859,565;5,550,677; 5,670,935; 6,636,258; 7,145,519; 7,161,616; 7,230,640;7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466; 7,592,928; 7,881,496; 7,720,580;7,038,577; 6,882,287; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, PCT Application No.PCT/US2010/047256, filed Aug. 31, 2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 asInternational Publication No. WO 2011/028686 and/or InternationalPublication No. WO 2010/099416, published Sep. 2, 2010, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US10/25545, filed Feb. 26, 2010 and published Sep.2, 2010 as International Publication No. WO 2010/099416, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2012/048800, filed Jul. 30, 2012, and publishedFeb. 7, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/019707, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2012/048110, filed Jul. 25, 2012, and publishedJan. 31, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/016409, and/orPCT Application No. PCT/CA2012/000378, filed Apr. 25, 2012, andpublished Nov. 1, 2012 as International Publication No. WO 2012/145822,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/056014, filed Sep. 19, 2012, andpublished Mar. 28, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013043661,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US12/57007, filed Sep. 25, 2012, andpublished Apr. 4, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/048994,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/061548, filed Oct. 24, 2012, andpublished May 2, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/063014,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/062906, filed Nov. 1, 2012, andpublished May 10, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/067083,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/063520, filed Nov. 5, 2012, andpublished May 16, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/070539,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/064980, filed Nov. 14, 2012, andpublished May 23, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/074604,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066570, filed Nov. 27, 2012, andpublished Jun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/081984,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov. 27, 2012, andpublished Jun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/081985,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/068331, filed Dec. 7, 2012, andpublished Jun. 13, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/086249,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/071219, filed Dec. 21, 2012, andpublished Jul. 11, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/103548,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2013/022119, filed Jan. 18, 2013, andpublished Jul. 25, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/109869,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066570, filed Nov. 27, 2012, andpublished Jun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/081984,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/066571, filed Nov. 27, 2012, andpublished Jun. 6, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/081985,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/068331, filed Dec. 7, 2012, andpublished Jun. 13, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/086249,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2013/027342, filed Feb. 22, 2013, andpublished Aug. 9, 2013 as International Publication No. WO 2013/126715,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/785,099, filed Mar. 5, 2013,now U.S. Pat. No. 9,565,342; Ser. No. 13/681,963, filed Nov. 20, 2012,now U.S. Pat. No. 9,264,673; Ser. No. 13/660,306, filed Oct. 25, 2012,now U.S. Pat. No. 9,146,898; Ser. No. 13/653,577, filed Oct. 17, 2012,now U.S. Pat. No. 9,174,574; and/or Ser. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27,2012, and published Jan. 3, 2013 as U.S. Publication No.US-2013-0002873, and/or U.S. provisional application, Ser. No.61/736,104, filed Dec. 12, 2012; Ser. No. 61/736,103, filed Dec. 12,2012; Ser. No. 61/735,314, filed Dec. 10, 2012; Ser. No. 61/734,457,filed Dec. 7, 2012; Ser. No. 61/733,598, filed Dec. 5, 2012; Ser. No.61/733,093, filed Dec. 4, 2012; Ser. No. 61/727,912, filed Nov. 19,2012; Ser. No. 61/727,911, filed Nov. 19, 2012; Ser. No. 61/727,910,filed Nov. 19, 2012; Ser. No. 61/718,382, filed Oct. 25, 2012; Ser. No.61/710,924, filed Oct. 8, 2012; Ser. No. 61/696,416, filed Sep. 4, 2012;Ser. No. 61/682,995, filed Aug. 14, 2012; Ser. No. 61/682,486, filedAug. 13, 2012; Ser. No. 61/680,883, filed Aug. 8, 2012; Ser. No.61/676,405, filed Jul. 27, 2012; Ser. No. 61/666,146, filed Jun. 29,2012; Ser. No. 61/648,744, filed May 18, 2012; Ser. No. 61/624,507,filed Apr. 16, 2012; Ser. No. 61/616,126, filed Mar. 27, 2012; Ser. No.61/613,651, filed Mar. 21, 2012, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The system may communicate withother communication systems via any suitable means, such as by utilizingaspects of the systems described in PCT Application No. PCT/US10/038477,filed Jun. 14, 2010, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/202,005,filed Aug. 17, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,126,525, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The imaging device and control and image processor and any associatedillumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitablecomponents, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,123,168;7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176; 6,313,454; and6,824,281, and/or International Publication No. WO 2010/099416,published Sep. 2, 2010, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filedAug. 31, 2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 as International PublicationNo. WO 2011/028686, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/508,840,filed Jul. 24, 2009, and published Jan. 28, 2010 as U.S. Pat.Publication No. US 2010-0020170, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/048110, filed Jul. 25, 2012, and published Jan. 31, 2013 asInternational Publication No. WO 2013/016409, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012, and published Jan.3, 2013 as U.S. Publication No. US-2013-0002873, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The camera orcameras may comprise any suitable cameras or imaging sensors or cameramodules, and may utilize aspects of the cameras or sensors described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/091,359, filed Apr. 24, 2008 andpublished Oct. 1, 2009 as U.S. Publication No. US-2009-0244361, and/orSer. No. 13/260,400, filed Sep. 26, 2011, now U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,542,451,and/or 7,965,336 and/or 7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference in their entireties. The imaging array sensor may compriseany suitable sensor, and may utilize various imaging sensors or imagingarray sensors or cameras or the like, such as a CMOS imaging arraysensor, a CCD sensor or other sensors or the like, such as the typesdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,715,093;5,877,897; 6,922,292; 6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719; 6,201,642;6,498,620; 5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261;6,806,452; 6,396,397; 6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149; 7,038,577;7,004,606; and/or 7,720,580, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/534,632, filed May 11, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,965,336; and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US2008/076022, filed Sep. 11, 2008 and publishedMar. 19, 2009 as International Publication No. WO/2009/036176, and/orPCT Application No. PCT/US2008/078700, filed Oct. 3, 2008 and publishedApr. 9, 2009 as International Publication No. WO/2009/046268, which areall hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may beimplemented and operated in connection with various vehicularvision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles ofsuch other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system,such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149; and/or 7,526,103,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176; and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly orrearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331;6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202;6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452;6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; and/or 7,859,565, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitchingaid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lanechange assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blindspot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 5,929,786and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/239,980,filed Sep. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,496, and/or U.S.provisional application, Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser.No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14,2004; Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a video device forinternal cabin surveillance and/or video telephone function, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268; and/or7,370,983, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filedJun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties, a traffic sign recognition system, a system fordetermining a distance to a leading or trailing vehicle or object, suchas a system utilizing the principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for theimaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features,such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technologyand aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,255,451 and/or7,480,149; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filedSep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008, and/or Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009, nowU.S. Pat. No. 9,487,144, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

Those skilled in the art will understand that a variety of modificationsmay be made to the preferred embodiments described above withoutdeparting from the fair meaning of the appended claims.

1. A method for determining a diagnostic condition of a vehicular videoconnection, the method comprising: providing a video driver, a videocable and a video driver power supply; providing a current sensor and amicrocontroller; powering the video driver via the video driver powersupply; sensing, via the current sensor, current flowing to the videodriver from the video driver power supply; determining, via themicrocontroller, a current level sensed by the current sensor duringoperation of the video driver; and determining an open circuit conditionwhen the determined current level of the current flowing into the videodriver falls below a predetermined quantity.
 2. The method of claim 1,comprising determining a short to battery condition when the determinedcurrent level of the current flowing into the video driver exceeds apredetermined quantity and an output voltage of the video driver ishigher than a voltage of the video driver power supply.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, comprising determining a short to ground condition when thedetermined current level of the current flowing into the video driverexceeds a predetermined quantity and an output voltage of the videodriver is not higher than a voltage of the video driver power supply. 4.The method of claim 1, comprising determining a diagnostic condition ofthe video cable based at least in part on the determined current levelof the current flowing into the video driver.
 5. The method of claim 1,comprising determining a diagnostic condition of the video cable basedat least in part on an output voltage of the video driver.
 6. The methodof claim 1, comprising determining a diagnostic condition of the videocable based at least in part on a determined short to battery conditionthat is triggered responsive to an output voltage of the video driverexceeding a supply voltage of the video driver power supply.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, comprising communicating, via the microcontrollerbeing part of a video control system including communication circuitry,with a vehicle controller.
 8. The method of claim 1, comprising (i)providing a video display at a cabin of a vehicle that is viewable by adriver of the vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicleand (ii) displaying video images responsive to a video signal providedover the video cable.
 9. A method for determining a diagnostic conditionof a vehicular video connection, the method comprising: providing avideo driver, a video cable and a video driver power supply; providing acurrent sensor and a microcontroller; powering the video driver via thevideo driver power supply; sensing, via the current sensor, currentflowing to the video driver from the video driver power supply;determining, via the microcontroller, a current level sensed by thecurrent sensor during operation of the video driver; and determining ashort to battery condition when the determined current level of thecurrent flowing into the video driver exceeds a predetermined quantityand an output voltage of the video driver is higher than a voltage ofthe video driver power supply.
 10. The method of claim 9, comprisingdetermining a short to ground condition when the determined currentlevel of the current flowing into the video driver exceeds apredetermined quantity and an output voltage of the video driver is nothigher than a voltage of the video driver power supply.
 11. The methodof claim 10, comprising determining an open circuit condition when thedetermined current level of the current flowing into the video driverfalls below a predetermined quantity.
 12. The method of claim 9,comprising determining a diagnostic condition of the video cable basedat least in part on the determined current level of the current flowinginto the video driver.
 13. The method of claim 9, comprising determininga diagnostic condition of the video cable based at least in part on anoutput voltage of the video driver.
 14. The method of claim 9,comprising determining a diagnostic condition of the video cable basedat least in part on a determined short to battery condition that istriggered responsive to an output voltage of the video driver exceedinga supply voltage of the video driver power supply.
 15. The method ofclaim 9, comprising communicating, via the microcontroller being part ofa video control system including communication circuitry, with a vehiclecontroller.
 16. The method of claim 9, comprising (i) providing a videodisplay at a cabin of a vehicle that is viewable by a driver of thevehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle and (ii)displaying video images responsive to a video signal provided over thevideo cable.
 17. A method for determining a diagnostic condition of avehicular video connection, the method comprising: providing a videodriver, a video cable and a video driver power supply; providing acurrent sensor and a microcontroller; powering the video driver via thevideo driver power supply; sensing, via the current sensor, currentflowing to the video driver from the video driver power supply;determining, via the microcontroller, a current level sensed by thecurrent sensor during operation of the video driver; and determining ashort to ground condition when the determined current level of thecurrent flowing into the video driver exceeds a predetermined quantityand an output voltage of the video driver is not higher than a voltageof the video driver power supply.
 18. The method of claim 17, comprisingdetermining a diagnostic condition of the video cable based at least inpart on the determined current level of the current flowing into thevideo driver.
 19. The method of claim 17, comprising determining adiagnostic condition of the video cable based at least in part on anoutput voltage of the video driver.
 20. The method of claim 17,comprising determining a diagnostic condition of the video cable basedat least in part on a determined short to battery condition that istriggered responsive to an output voltage of the video driver exceedinga supply voltage of the video driver power supply.
 21. The method ofclaim 17, comprising communicating, via the microcontroller being partof a video control system including communication circuitry, with avehicle controller.
 22. The method of claim 17, comprising (i) providinga video display at a cabin of a vehicle that is viewable by a driver ofthe vehicle when the driver is normally operating the vehicle and (ii)displaying video images responsive to a video signal provided over thevideo cable.